Working towards a world where everyone has access to the climate observations and the information they need to address climate-related concerns

​The vision of Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) is for all users to have access to the climate observations, data records and information they need to address pressing climate-related concerns. GCOS users include individuals, national and international organizations, institutions and agencies. GCOS works with partners to ensure the sustained provision of reliable physical, chemical and biological observations and data records for the total climate system – across the atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial domains, including hydrological and carbon cycles and the cryosphere.

Austrian GCOS Report 2017 available!

GCOS Tagline Competition

GCOS launched a competition to identify a catchy tagline. The winner willl receive a WMO wristwatch and the deadline for your contribution(s) is the 15th of December. Please find further details in this flyer.

ECV inventory of WGClimate live

The Joint CEOS/CGMS Working Group on Climate (WGClimate) created an inventory that provides a structured, comprehensive and accessible view as to what Climate Data Records are currently available and planned from satellite missions operated by CEOS and CGMS member Agencies or their combination. Find out more here.

Space Agency Response to GCOS Implementation Plan published

The Joint CEOS/CGMS Working Group on Climate (WGClimate) presents a detailed plan adressing the space related needs identified in the GCOS 2016 Implementation Plan. Download the full response here (version 2.0).

25th GCOS Steering Committee Meeting in Hangzhou, China

From 26th to 28th September 2017 GCOS Steering Committee met in Hangzhou, China to provide guidance for planning, implementing and further developing GCOS. Find out more about the GCOS Steering Committee here.

GCOS Science Day

The 4th GCOS Science Day took place in Hangzhou, China on the 25th of September. Organized by the China Meteorological Administration, it provided an opportunity for the GCOS Steering Committee to learn and discuss the outstanding work of Chinese scientists. It was also a great opportunity for young chinese scientists to learn more about GCOS. Learn more about the content and the presentations here.

Award for Chinese Contributions to the GCOS

During the 4th GCOS Science Day, the chair of the GCOS Steering Committe Professor Stephen Briggs thanked Professor Meiyan Jioa, the deputy administrator of the China Meteorological Administration for the Chinese contribution to the GCOS. He handed over a certificate, recognizing the valuable contributions 32 stations to the GCOS Surface Network and seven stations to the GCOS Upper-Air Network.

GCOS Steering Committee visits Chinese Climatological Stations

After the 25th GCOS Steering Committee Meeting in Hangzhou, China in Septmeber 2017, the China Meteorological Administration invited the Committe to visit the National Reference Climatological Station in Hangzhou, theLin'an Regional Atmospheric Background Station and the Eco-Meteorological Observation Station in the Xixi National Wetland Park. The excursion provided an opportunity for GCOS to learn about the impressive efforts of the China Meteorological Administration on climatological measurements and the Chinese contributions to the GCOS.

The GCOS programme stimulates, encourages, coordinates and facilitates the taking of needed observations by national or international organizations to support their own requirements as well as common goals. It provides an operational framework for integrating and enhancing the observational systems of participating countries and organizations into a comprehensive system focused on the requirements for climate issues. The GCOS programme does not directly make observations nor generate data products.

GCOS Milestones

1992 Establishment of GCOS as an outcome of the Second World Climate Conference (1990)

2004 Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC, Publication No. GCOS-92, COP-10, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2006 Systematic Observation Requirements for Satellite-based Products for Climate – Supplemental Details to the Satellite-based Component of the Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC, Publication No. GCOS-107

2009 Progress Report on the Implementation of the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC 2004–2008, Publication No. GCOS 129, COP-15, Copenhagen, Denmark

2010 Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC (2010 Update), Publication No. GCOS-138, COP-16, Cancun, Mexico

2015 Status of the Global Observing System for Climate, Publication No. GCOS-195

Three scientific panels, reporting to the Steering Committee, were established to define the observations needed in each of the main global domains (atmosphere, oceans and land), to prepare specific programme elements and to make recommendations for implementation:

National Activities

Almost all the networks, systems, data centres and analysis centres that GCOS works with and relies upon are funded, managed and operated by national entities within their own requirements, plans, procedures, standards and regulations. The needs of UNFCCC and other users of global climate observations and products can only be addressed if plans are developed and implemented in a coordinated manner by national organizations.

Such mechanisms are usually best sustained when national coordinators or focal points are designated. Their assigned responsibility should include the coordinated planning and implementation of systematic climate observing systems across the many national departments and agencies involved with their provision.

More inoformation about National Climate Observing Systems and their networks is available under Networks.

GCOS National Coordinators

GCOS activities and interests in any nation normally cut across many departments and agencies in that nation, rather than being limited to one agency, such as a meteorological service. It is therefore desirable and efficient for GCOS to have, if possible, a single contact in each nation who can coordinate amongst the relevant agencies and represent the views of all, or at least most, of them on a regular basis. This is the role envisaged for a "GCOS National Coordinator".

In accordance with the GCOS Implementation Plan 2016, GCOS aims to identify a core set of climate change indicators to be used as a basis for reporting climate change to the public. The need to inform the public on the range of climate impacts beyond temperature is clear. A small and limited set of global indicators should demonstrate the range and speed of climate change.

Many different bodies are already presenting different sets of climate indicators. The aim is not to replace these sets of indicators but to identify a core set of 5 to 10 indicators that can be used to report on the general state of the climate to a broad audience. In general, there are two types of indicators: those describing the physical state of the climate system and its historical development (lagging indicators), and those looking at future impact, risk and adaptation (leading indicators). Here, indicators of the former type are identified; further work will be needed to consider the latter.

The latest GCOS Implementation Plan was presented to UNFCCC in November 2016 at Conference of the Parties in Marrakech, Morocco. UNFCCC encouraged all parties of international organizations to implement this plan, which includes developing these two types of climate indicators.

Two meetings held by GCOS in Geneva have agreed that climate indicators should meet the following criteria:

Relevance: each one should be a clear and understandable indicator of global climate change, which has broad impact for a range of audiences. Some indicators will also have national and regional values

Representativeness: indicators as a package should provide a representative picture of changes to the earth system related to climate change

Traceability: indicators should be calculated using an internationally agreed and published method

Timeliness: indicators should be calculated regularly (at least annually) with a short lag between the end of the period and publishing the data

Limited number: to allow clear and concise communication, the number of indicators should be limited to less than 10

Networks

Networks

The need to adapt to a changing climate and eventually to mitigate climate change increasingly requires more accurate information on fluxes across the traditional domains atmosphere, ocean, land in order to improve our understanding of the major climatic cycles, carbon, water and energy. It is GCOS' task to make sure, that the totality of all climate observation networks is more than the sum of the individual networks, forming together the one Global Climate Observing System, providing the full picture of our climate.

The Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate (AOPC) was established by the GCOS Steering Committee in recognition of the need for specific scientific and technical input concerning atmospheric observations for climate.

The Ocean Observations Panel for Climate (OOPC) is a scientific expert advisory group charged with making recommendations for a sustained global ocean observing system for climate in support of the goals of its sponsors.

The GCOS Cooperation Mechanism (GCM) was established to identify and make the most effective use of resources available for improving climate observing systems in developing countries, particularly to enable them to collect, exchange, and utilize data on a continuing basis in pursuance of the UNFCCC. In recent years, several countries have provided funds and participated on the Donor Board. The GCOS Sponsors (WMO, IOC, UNEP, ICSU) are seeking additional countries and organizations to help address the considerable and growing demands for improved climate observing networks in developing countries.

"There is a notable lack of geographical balance in the data and literature on observed changes in natural and managed systems, with a marked scarcity from developing countries." IPCC, 2007

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How does the GCM work?

Participation in the mechanism is open to all donors that support, through financial or in-kind contributions, improvements in global observing systems for climate in developing countries. All donors are invited to be members of the GCM Donor Board, which is advised by the GCOS Steering Committee and scientific panels.

The Donor Board meets at least once a year, typically in association with a concurrent meeting, e.g., of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice. Donors may designate how they wish their funds to be used or donate funds to a common pool to be used on priority projects selected by the Donor Board. A Project Officer identifies, manages and oversees the individual GCM projects.

This mechanism provides independence from other intergovernmental processes, including those related to the UNFCCC, while assisting in achieving the objectives of the UNFCCC and GCOS. The GCM garantees fully open and transparent accounting of all in-kind and actual expenditures.

"What is urgently needed is a commitment by nations to provide global coverage for the key variables, to halt and reverse the degradation of existing observing systems, and to exchange information more effectively… A positive response to this challenge would significantly advance the implementation of an effective observing system for climate and support the objectives of the UNFCCC." Report on the Adequacy of GCOS, 1998

Why participate in the GCM?

The GCM is an effective and proven way to address national, regional, and global needs for climate observations and to direct funds to the highest priority needs;

The GCM addresses the G8 Gleneagles Plan of Action commitment to support the climate observing needs of developing countries;

The GCM directly contributes to fulfilling the repeated calls of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC to provide financial and technical support to developing countries to improve their climate observing systems;

Improving networks in developing countries also contributes to developed country needs for improved global networks.

Project Candidates 2017

Availability of gas (Hydrogen or Helium) is fundamental to the operations of a GUAN station. Many of the Hydrogen Generator Systems, particular in the least developed countries, are 10+ years old and are unreliable as they are lacking the recommended in-depth service of the equipment and associated local staff training, which will prolong the operational life of the system. The ongoing performance of these stations against the GCOS minimum requirement is often poor and a primary contributor to this is due to the condition of the hydrogen generator.

€100K: Replacement Hydrogen Generator for Khartoum, Sudan.

[Station in-active since April 2014]

Availability of gas (Hydrogen or Helium) is fundamental to the operations of a GUAN station. Current system is 20 years old, is unreliable and proving almost impossible to purchase spares when components fail. Performance of the station in 2013 against the GCOS minimum requirement has been very poor and much of this is due to the age & condition of the hydrogen generator.

€50K: Support for GUAN Station Gan (Maldives)

[Station active but will stop at the end of 2017]

This important (remote & data sparse region) GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for supplies in 2017/18 is not available. This would provide radiosonde and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 1 year period.

€50K: Support for GUAN Station Raratonga (Cook Islands)

[Station in-active since December 2016]

This important (remote & data sparse region) GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for supplies in 2017 is not available. This would provide radiosonde and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 1 year period.

€80K: Support for GUAN Station San Cristobal (Galapagos Is., Ecudaor)

[Station in-active since January 2016]

This important (remote & data sparse region) GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for maintenance of equipment (radiosonde system and hydrogen generator), local staff training and supplies is not available. This will provide an expert visit to assess the station, an in-depth service of the hydrogen generator system and radiosondes and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 1 year period.

€50K: Support for GUAN Station Vacoas (Mauritius)

[Station in-active since August 2015]

This important (remote & data sparse region) GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for supplies in 2017 is not available. This would provide radiosonde and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 1 year period.

€100K: Support for GUAN Station Honiara (Solomon Islands)

[Station in-active since before 2011]

This important (remote & data sparse region) GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for equipment, maintenance and supplies has not been available for many years. This will provide an expert visit to assess the station, an in-depth service of the hydrogen generator system and radiosondes and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 2 year period.

€50K: Support for GUAN Station Bauerfield (Vanuatu)

[Station in-active since April 2016]

This important (remote & data sparse region) GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for supplies in 2017 is not available. This would provide radiosonde and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 1 year period.

€100K: Support for GUAN Station Port Moresby (Papa New Guinea)

[Station in-active since February 2013]

This important (remote & data sparse region) GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for equipment, maintenance and supplies has not been available for many years. This will provide an expert visit to assess the station, an in-depth service of the hydrogen generator system and radiosondes and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 2 year period.

€50K: Support for GUAN Station Karachi (Pakistan)

[Station in-active since before 2014]

This important GUAN station has not provided radiosonde measurements for many years and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for supplies is not available. This would provide radiosonde and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 1 year period.

€50K: Support for GUAN Station Yerevan (Armenia)

[Station active but will stop early in 2018]

This important GUAN station has in the past received the support of GCOS and the Met Service has informed GCOS that sufficient funding for supplies in 2018 is not available. This would provide radiosonde and balloons to meet the GCOS minimum requirements for a 1 year period.

€10-20k per year: Emergency Operational Support, low value orders, to ensure that any downtime is kept to a minimum.

Examples of support can be emergency spares, transit of components to enable a repair and sending expert engineers. The decision as to whether support is provided or not is with the GCOS Implementation Manager, with the advice of the relevant GCOS advisory panel.

GCM Gouvernance

Funding through the GCM provides a means for aggregating voluntary contributions from multiple donors into a trust fund (GCM Donor Fund) and to allocate these funds to priorities agreed to by the donors (GCM Donor Board).

Objectives:

Agree on the high priority deficiencies in the global observing systems for climate (including data management elements) in developing countries based on firm scientific analyses and on ways to address these deficiencies through existing funding mechanisms and/or through the GCM Donor Fund. The Board determines its priorities, in light of existing international and national activities to improve global observing systems for climate;

Establish and operate appropriate procedures for developing funding proposals, managing the allocation of funds, monitoring implementation activities and liaising with relevant national and international institutions and mechanisms.

Features of the GCM funding mechanism include:

Development of a critical mass of funding to support achievement of sustained improvements in global observing systems for climate;

Through ongoing replenishment of the fund, the capability to address all types of funding requirements for global climate observations in developing countries, including system improvement, sustained operations, and capacity building;

Independence from other intergovernmental processes, including those related to the UNFCCC, while assisting in achieving the objectives of the UNFCCC and GCOS;

Management oversight and priority setting by a Donor Board, which is advised by the GCOS Steering Committee and scientific panels;

Fully open and transparent accounting of all in-kind and actual expenditures;

Ability to address global priorities for systematic observation, which are the essential framework for addressing national and regional climate requirements. The existence of a GCM Donor Fund would not eliminate, but would be supportive of, the need to address national or regional priorities, which tend to be the principal focus of bilateral arrangements;

Efficient use of limited resources through maximising synergies, avoiding duplication and optimising distribution, training, purchasing, and other operational issues;

Ability to develop, fund and implement cross-cutting approaches relevant to all climate disciplines/regimes, including addressing data management and data exchange;

Potential for entering into cooperative arrangements for co-financing and implementation with other funding mechanisms such as GEF, particularly in respect of capacity building; and

Project Officer to manage the implementation actions and the use of resources for system improvement and for sustaining the operation of key stations and systems.